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Cape Town - It seems Gautengers are still digging in their heels and refusing to accept the e-tolls model. Fin24 has received several emails from users questioning the validity of e-tolls and reiterating their resolve not to pay.
This comes in response to an appeal by civil rights body Outa, which urged Gauteng road users to comment after the Department of Transport placed a notice in the Government Gazette requesting public feedback on proposed changes to Gauteng's e-toll regulations by September 26.
READ: Public urged to speak up on e-tolls regulations
"This gazette seeks to introduce a number of changes to the e-toll regulations, some of which are sincerely concerning," said Outa last week.
Outa has set up a page on its website "which makes it easy for the public to submit comments" on the main issues in response to the notice in the gazette. "It is important to know that the more that public participate in making such submissions, the stronger the people’s case to be heard," said Outa.
Fin24 user Hendri van Wyk writes: "I refuse to pay e-tolls, I refuse to listen to a government that is littered by money hungry fraudsters, I refuse to give in to their so-called demands for more and more cash.... corruption is running rife and the rand at its weakest, yet government officials are all living life larger and larger...."
Leon Green's message is short and to the point: "I will also not pay e-tolls."
Jordan de Meyer writes: "I also won't pay. What happens to all our licence and fuel levies for road maintenance? Instead they subsidise R7.1bn for transport, which is anyway excluded from e toll."
On the subject of fuel levies, Denton Estment writes: "I am still of the opinion that if the government did not swallow fuel levies into general fiscus and ringfenced them for road we would not need e-tolls."
Danie Small says that in not paying for e-tolls, he is merely following the president's example in not paying for his Nkandla security upgrades. "He [President Jacob Zuma] said he didn't ask for it so he won't pay. Needless to say 'I did not ask for e-tolls'. So I would also NOT PAY. I rest my case your honour."
Michelle Sawyer is indignant over the "bad scare tactics" being used. "Neither Sanral nor the government and their elected have convinced anyone the need for taxing the motorist this way. E-toll Gauteng is just another scam and waste of the taxpayers' money for the gravy train coffers."
Tyrone Esterhuizen offers the following comment: "It is a crap system and bankrupting the public, while various entities relating to ANC connections as the 'public transport system' are affiliated politically are exempt to pay. Public transport is a ANC behind the curtain income generator."
John Mitchell is a visitor from KwaZulu-Natal who visits Gauteng every three months, but was frustrated in his efforts to "do the honourable thing and register as an out of town motorist". Says Mitchell: "Need two items of information – how much to pay and an authentic Sanral bank account number. Eventually I gave up and no longer care. If they obey the law and give me an invoice/statement, I will obey the law and pay."
Bongani Sikakane makes his feelings plain: "Even if Sanral charges 5c I will never pay. E-tolls should be scrapped. "
The lone dissenter is E du Plessis, who says: " I think e-tolls are no problem whatsoever, the roads are well maintained, a pleasure to drive on and reasonably priced. We do not in any way subscribe to any form of bullying by the 'anti e-toll brigade'.... We happily pay our e tolls."
Stoychev got what he deserved
On the other hand, Fin24 users applaud the sentencing of Gauteng motorist Dr Stoyen Hristov Stoychev, who received a stiff sentence for falsifying his number plates to avoid e-toll payments.
Fin24 user Ian Fuller writes: "The man not only put someone else in dire straits by using false number plates, but I guess he also thought he could do anything in the way of traffic violations as well as avoid paying tolls - that's criminal... he is a crook and deserved what he got."
Dave Rowe agrees: "Mr Stoychev acted in a criminal manner by shifting his debt onto some innocent person. He is guilty of fraud and as a professional man should be ashamed of his behaviour."
The gripe that motorists already pay a fuel levy does not take into account the fact that other people have to pay for all the other national roads in the country, says Rowe. "Come on Gautengers, accept the fact that you are not as important to the economy as you think you are."
Disclaimer: All letters and comments published in MyFin24 have been independently written by members of the Fin24 community. The views are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent those of Fin24.
